


All That Remains

by BountyKress



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, Language, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smut, Violence, playful banter, some canon events
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-08-07 14:36:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7718632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BountyKress/pseuds/BountyKress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She wasn’t surprised he left. Everyone always did. What did surprise her was when he, of all people, stayed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's been years since I've gotten back into writing Naruto fanfiction, so I hope I can give you all something to enjoy. If you aren't a fan of my main pairing (KakaSaku), then you don't have to read this, but do know anyone is welcome here!

Cool air swept over her freshly painted nails. She’d decided to go with mint this week, forgoing the bright red she’d previously had on. It was only a small difference in her appearance, but change was something she’d been needing as of late.

She studied her hands as the polish dried, tracing the lines of her palms with her eyes. Her skin was smooth, virtually unmarred by the rough calluses and scars that most shinobi earned after a lifetime of fighting. Working at the hospital more often than in the field sometimes had its benefits.

Her gaze drifted from her hands to the window. She’d pulled back the curtains as soon as she had crawled out of bed that morning. Sakura liked waking up before dawn as much as the next person, but the sunrise had been worth it. She’d sat on her desk chair, knees tucked up into her chest as the colors of the sky had faded from gray to brilliant pinks and yellows. She’d closed her eyes, soaking in the warmth of the sun while the birds had started their peaceful morning tunes.

Now the sky was a pale blue, the sun making its way higher into the sky while she dried her manicure with her miniature fan. She grinned down at the little device. Ino had gotten it for her for her birthday this year. She’d loved it so much that she had bought her own to match. It was so they could quickly do their nails together on their girl’s night, she’d told her. Sakura knew Ino just wanted one for herself and had probably figured it would be fun to have matching ones, but she still liked the gift.

Testing her work by lightly running a finger over the nail’s finished surface, she proceeded to tie her hair up. It had grown out over the past couple of summers, reaching past her shoulders even in the high-up ponytail she had it in. Maybe it was about time to get it cut again.

She studied her reflection in the mirror and sighed. Sasuke liked it when her hair was long, but she found that her obsessive crush on him as a child didn’t hold the same influence on her now as much as it did then. She personally preferred the pink tresses to be on the shorter side, if not almost all the way to her chin. It made her look matured; more like the strong woman she’d worked hard to become, and not the clueless, lovestruck Genin she had once been.

Eyeing her reflection again, she nodded in agreement to her thoughts. Yes, it was definitely time for a haircut.

Once her boots were buckled on, she searched for the last piece of her outfit. Her combat gloves had somehow gone missing from their usual place in her drawer, and she hadn’t found them in any of the other places they could have been. From her doorway, her gaze roved over the kitchen one last time, hoping the cluster of black fabric would suddenly appear on one of the counter tops. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t. She made her way out of her apartment, slightly bummed. Perhaps it was time to invest in a new pair, anyways.

On a normal day, she would have taken a right after she made it outside, then she would have made her way to the end of the street that connected to the one leading to the hospital. But today, she had the day off, so she let her feet carry her in the other direction.

Even in the early hours of morning, Konoha’s streets were bustling with activity. Merchants and vendors were lined up, calling on any straying eyes that happened to wander in the direction of their shops. Some of the little food places were already packed with intrigued customers, but Sakura wasn’t interested in visiting the new stalls today. She had somewhere to be, so she kept her eyes straight ahead.

The community had slowly but surely made a valiant recovery after the war. There was still plenty to clean up, and plenty more to repair and rebuild, but as she looked around her at the buildings and the tree tops that tended to poke out at random, she felt more like she was back in her home village than she had felt for years; before any of the action from the war had turned disastrous.

Finally, she made it on the old beaten trail that led to her favorite place. As she followed the familiar path, memories of team seven came flooding back. She could almost picture the orange and blue backs of her comrades walking in front of her, bickering and goading at one another until they would lapse into annoyed silence. She imagined Kakashi, her sensei at the time, walking quietly beside her with his nose buried in his favorite book. She chuckled at the image before a feeling of longing settled heavily in her chest. Those had been the days.

Only back then, she had felt like the most useless ninja in existence. She probably had been, she admitted to herself honestly. But things were different now. She felt the difference acutely when she finally stepped out onto the training field. The three posts sat in its center, bringing another small, nostalgic smile to the kunoichi’s face. The last time she had been here with her entire team, she had just recently earned her headband, officially making her a full-fledged shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Now, she thought as she tugged at the familiar material of the jounin vest she wore, she was a little older, a little more experienced. She was a high-ranking ninja on her way to becoming an elite. The contrast in who she had been as that twelve-year old Sakura compared to her present self was... striking. At least she hoped it was.

As she settled herself near the center of the field, she took a deep, even breath. The cool air filled her lungs, heightening her alertness to an approaching presence. Her senses had improved over the last couple of years after diving head-on in to more rigorous training. The war had opened her eyes to every weakness she still possessed, and even though she had managed to survive the battles she’d fought, she was determined to do more than get by the skin of her teeth. Training with her shishou and the occasional Anbu Black-ops member was helping her better learn how to hold her own in a fight.

A shorter, dark-haired woman in a yukata eventually emerged from the path Sakura had taken. She blinked a couple of times in surprise. This wasn’t who she had expected to meet with this morning.

“Shizune!” she greeted cheerily, making her way to her. Tonton oinked happily as she approached, and Shizune offered a polite smile in return.

“Sakura, Lady Tsunade wished for me to inform you that she is busy with her duties this morning and will need to reschedule training time with you. I’m sorry,” she bowed slightly in apology. Sakura’s shoulders sunk in disappointment.

“Oh,” she said.

“She told me to tell you that she is sorry. I know she’s done this a few times now, but she has just been so wrapped up in the final preparations needed for the next Hokage to fully take her place.”

“By preparations you mean drinking herself silly to celebrate the passing of all her responsibilities to a man who we know hates bookwork more than anything else, right?” Sakura grinned in amusement, picturing her old sensei glaring hatefully at the mountainous stack of paperwork that would always seem to reside on his office desk. She knew that no matter how much of it a Hokage could get done, there would always be more to follow it sooner or later. It never seemed to go away. In fact, Sakura realized she had never seen that desk without some form or document needing attention on it.

“Something like that,” Shizune laughed lightly.

“Thank you for coming to tell me,” Sakura smiled, “but please tell her that she'd better owe me for ditching me three times in a row, now.”

“I’ll do my best to reiterate your message, Sakura-san.”

She nodded her head in a small farewell before turning and going back the way she came, with Tonton oinking goodbye as they went. Sakura kept a polite smile on her face until Shizune was no longer in sight. Once she was gone, her face fell slightly, her hooded eyes meeting the ground below. The last couple of times Lady Tsunade had to cancel on her Sakura had been lucky enough to find a volunteer already on the field to train with her. This time, she had the place completely to herself.

She sighed. It was going to be a long morning.

 

 

Sweat trickled over her brow as her fist connected with the steel beam. Again and again, she swung at the abused metal post, occasionally leaving a decent-sized dent where her fist had just struck. It always hurt to train herself on one of these things, but the wooden practice dummies never survived her attacks, and she needed something more solid to hit today anyway. Today, she was taking her frustrations out in her fighting, so she needed a sturdier target.

The satisfying metallic thuds echoed around her, sometimes startling the birds from their perches in the tree tops. She couldn’t help the noise. That was one of the consequences of using taijutsu on a steel pole. Besides, she wasn’t focusing on performing stealth attacks. She just really needed something to hit right now.

Sakura knew it wasn’t Tsunade’s fault that she had to leave her to her own devices this morning. She was still a Hokage, and nearly retired or not meant she still rarely had any time to set aside for herself. There was always someone, if not in their village then outside of it, that would need her for a mission, or for leadership counsel, or something else.

But it wasn’t just Tsunade that had her feeling a little frustrated, it was almost everyone. Since Naruto had married Hinata, she’d rarely seen him without her. It was to be expected, she supposed, that her newly-wedded friends wouldn’t want to be apart if they could help it. But she missed the days her favorite blonde idiot would drag her to the ramen shop and order three meals for her before she could even tell him what she wanted.

She was being selfish, she knew. She was so happy for the two of them. They needed each other, and they deserved to spend as much time together as they could. But still, she couldn’t help feeling a little bitter.

Sasuke hadn’t even come to the wedding. Kakashi had confided in her later that he had been in the village when she and the others were on their mission to rescue Hinata’s little sister, Hanabi Hyuuga. Apparently he had helped protect the village until the crisis was over, and then he had gone back to his journeys to who knows where.

Naruto’s best friend, his closest ally and his trusted rival, hadn’t even had the decency to stop by and wish him happiness. But that would just be too unlike Sasuke, wouldn’t it? He had to show up a year later and find out about it through her. He’d seemed momentarily shocked, but had hidden it well before claiming he shouldn’t be surprised. Sakura had very nearly wanted to hit him for his cold indifference.

She swung her leg at the post, her shin guard clanging against it loudly as it struck. She spun and landed another kick, and the momentum from the round house nearly bent the top of the beam.

He had stayed in Konoha for months after that, occasionally taking missions that could last up to a few days. But oddly enough he had spent the better part of his time with her. Of all people, Sasuke Uchiha had made the effort to catch up with her and become reacquainted. It was a little strange, but she’d assumed that Sasuke just needed someone to turn to when Naruto was too caught up with married life. And she had been the other member of his squad all those years ago, so it made some sense.

She wouldn’t say they had gotten close by any means, but those few months had been some of the most interesting ones she’d had in awhile. They’d spent a good number of their days together, her doing most of the talking and him mostly just listening, occasionally making a comment for good measure. Sometimes they would spar, and he had told her he was impressed with how strong of a kunoichi she had become.

Sasuke. Sasuke had told her that. She hadn’t even been sure she had heard him right at the time, and when she’d asked about it, all he’d said was “You heard me.”

High praise indeed, coming from the man who had contently chosen to ignore her for most of his life. But it didn’t matter either way. After he’d started to rekindle what friendship they’d had, he'd suddenly decided to up and leave again. He’d told her it was part of his mission, that he needed to do this, and she’d understood.

She’d understood that she was losing him before she really even got to know him again, so in slight desperation, she’d offered to go with him. Of course, he had turned her down, explaining it was something he had to do himself.

He had completely shocked her, though. Before he walked out of the village gates, he had turned back to her. He’d said there was something that he wanted to talk to her about when he returned, but until then he would count on them to keep the village safe. Kakashi and Naruto had been there with her to see him off.

He’d reached out and touched her forehead, an almost affectionate smile playing on the corners of his lips.

“I’ll see you soon,” he’d said softly before turning once again and leaving for good.

That had been a year ago, and she still hadn’t heard a word from him.

It was stupid, she knew that. She shouldn’t be upset, but it seemed like almost everyone was finally getting caught up with their own lives except for her. Sasuke was on his journey, Naruto and Hinata were husband and wife, Shikamaru was secretly courting the Princess of Sunagakure, and Ino was considering talking Sai into going on some dates. Even the others she didn’t get to talk to as often were finding themselves, or they were finding someone to settle down with. The happiness she felt for all of them couldn’t be measured.

But the loneliness was beginning to drive her up a wall.

“Damn it!” she cursed sharply as her elbow made contact with the metal beam. A sharp pain suddenly shot up her arm and she doubled over, tucking the appendage close to her chest. She’d struck her funny bone on accident. She groaned in pain.

“What has that poor pole done to you to earn such a beating?” A lazy voice chuckled from somewhere behind her. Sakura squinted up at the tall figure, still tucked into a ball on the ground and cradling her arm protectively. Above her, hooded gray eyes crinkled into a warm smile.

“Hokage-sama?” she asked, surprised.

“I’m not in the office right now, Sakura. Just Kakashi is fine,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets before tilting his head at her.

“Kakashi-senpai,” Sakura started again, slightly confused. “What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you still be finishing things up with Tsunade-sama?”

Kakashi gave her a look. “I don’t know, should I be?”

“You’re the Hokage,” Sakura shook her head in disbelief. “Of course you should be. You can’t just up and leave whenever you like.”

“Sakura, it’s past noon. I’m done for now,” he explained, his brow creasing.

“What?” She asked, looking up to see the sun was indeed past its highest point and was now starting its journey West. “Oh...”

“How long have you been out here?” he asked, crouching down so he was nearly eye level with her.

“I don’t know, six hours maybe?” she said, not quite believing she had been that caught up in herself to have not noticed the time.

The silver-haired shinobi beside her widened his eyes for a moment before he looked her over. She didn’t seem to have overdone herself, but she was breathing pretty hard and covered in sweat. He stood and reached into his shuriken pouch, tossing her his bottle. She caught it.

“Is this yours?” she asked, staring at the water greedily.

“You need it more than I do,” he said matter-of-factly, putting his hands back in his pockets. "Have it."

“Thanks, sensei,” she said appreciatively before popping the cap off and taking a generous swig. He shrugged and pulled out his book, taking a seat on the ground against a nearby boulder. As she drank, she watched him from the corner of her eye. His new attire with the gray vest and red arm band fit his style, but they reminded her of how much everything was changing. He no longer wore the old green jounin vest and standard black shirt that had been part of the uniform. Most of the jounin didn’t anymore, but she liked her old vest. She’d been reluctant to change it after the war. Maybe someday she would, but not today.

She finished the water off, exhaling loudly before plopping onto her back. The grass felt nice and cool, and she suddenly noticed how drained she was. She let her eyes drift closed, listening to the occasional bird call or the periodic sound of a page turning.

The company was silent, but not uncomfortable. The two of them remained that way for over an hour; Kakashi occupied with his book while Sakura lay on the ground and recovered herself. He’d done this a few times with her in the past when she would be training in the field alone. Sometimes he would join in and spar with her, staying true to his role as a sensei by giving her some finer points whenever she needed them. That happened less and less the more time they had spent exchanging blows, Sakura realized smugly. There had even been one day where Kakashi had barely said a word, other than calling out what he thought she was going to do next just to throw her off her game. It had irritated her to no end, but at the end of the day, his lack of criticism had said more than any compliment he could give. That was when he had asked her if she had applied to move up to jounin rank yet.

She smiled at the memory. The man was never one for words, but he’d said so much with that one inquiry. She slowly opened her eyes and turned them on him again. His book sat in his lap, still open, and his head was leaned back against the rock. His eyes were closed, and she realized he must have dozed off. She couldn’t blame him. His transition into the village’s leader must tire him out more than he would ever let on. But Sakura had known Kakashi for a long time, and she knew he trusted her more than most to let himself relax around her, and she was happy to let him.

Sakura looked up at the sky, watching as the clouds passed overhead. Shikamaru had once tried to convince her to take up the hobby of cloud watching. He'd told her that all the sorts of shapes they made could be seen as some kind of object or creature, but her imagination wasn’t nearly as creative as his. She’d pointed out that one of them looked like a cute bunny with a really pointy tail, and he’d just stared at her blankly.

Then again, Shikamaru looked at everyone like that.

“Well, except Temari,” she thought out loud, chuckling a little. She was one of the few people that knew of their courtship. Temari had wanted it to be kept a secret, and Sakura couldn’t blame her. If she had the powerful Kazekage and the renowned poison expert, puppet master as her brothers, she would try to keep her love life on the down-low, too. Especially if it was with a village outsider.

Kakashi stirred a little, and Sakura worried she'd accidentally woken him up. He lifted his head off of the boulder, arching his back slowly and cracking it before he stretched and yawned. For a dog person, he sure reminded her of a lazy cat. She grinned in amusement as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Something funny?” he asked, startling her. She realized he had caught her smiling at him, and had an eyebrow quirked at her in question. She shook her head, laughing to herself a little.

“It’s nothing.”

“Hm.”

More silence ensued as Kakashi continued to wake himself up. Sakura hummed to herself contently, not paying attention to the tune as she ran her fingers through the grass. Earlier she had been so irritated and blue, but now she couldn’t find it in herself to care. She just didn’t know if she had the sparring or the company to thank for that.

“What song is that?” his smooth voice suddenly asked from beside her. He had moved from the boulder and was now seated a few feet away. She looked up at him from where she lay with her hands behind her head.

“Huh?”

“You were humming just now. It sounded familiar.”

“Oh, uh, it was a lullaby I think,” she said, unsure. When he waited for her to continue, she sat up to face him more fully.

“Years ago, when Naruto went with Gai’s team to Hoshigakure, someone named Sumaru had given him a copy of it. I don’t know the significance of it for them, but I liked it and asked if I could borrow it. Sometimes I’ll just start humming it.”

“It’s pretty,” he said.

“Thanks,” she smiled at him. “I think it’s called Natsuhiboshi, or something like that anyways.”

He nodded silently before standing and putting away his book. He then brushed off his pants before holding a gloved hand out to her. She took it, noticing his warmth despite the thick material covering it, and he helped her to her feet. She thanked him before they began to make their way back to the village together.

As they walked, they talked about the most random things. Sakura was convinced she had found a book that he wouldn’t be able to put down, _even_ if he had the option to choose any one of his usual favorites. Kakashi barked a laugh at that, not believing she would win that bet. They talked about work, going into the shallow depths of what was keeping them the most busy. Kakashi told her he hoped to be leaving for a mission soon, and that he needed a partner he could count on to join him. She’d heard some anbu guards earlier that week say he needed a body guard, but Sakura let him make the slight change in verbiage. Were she in his position, she would hate having a body guard assigned to her wherever she went probably as much as he did. He never complained about it, but she could see it in the way his slouch deepened when Yugao would insist to escort him everywhere.

She was enjoying their conversation, but at the thought of the purple-haired anbu member, she realized she hadn’t seen the woman once since Kakashi had wandered onto the field. She sighed.

“Kakashi?”

He looked down at her. “Hmn?”

“Should I inform Uzuki-san that you’re not lying dead in a ditch somewhere?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled sheepishly. “Actually, I have her watching my clone. Should anything have happened to me, she would have known by its sudden disappearance.”

“And I suppose she would have just loved to find out the hard way that the Hokage had tricked her so that he could sneak out for a few hours, right?” She scolded teasingly. He let out a long and tired sigh.

“Sakura I-”

“Kakashi, don’t worry about it. I’m not going to say anything,” she waved her hand dismissively. His dark eyes rested on her for a moment, then softened when he spoke.

“Thank you.”

“Just, next time, maybe leave a note or something?” She looked back up at him, stepping over a root that had nearly caught her foot. “It wouldn’t hurt to let them know where you’re going should anything happen.”

“Mah, Sakura, you worry too much,” he shrugged indifferently.

“One of us has to,” she laughed.

They eventually made their way back within the village walls. Sakura still had a few hours of daylight left, and she figured she’d better go track down some decent gloves before all the shops closed. Kakashi said something about needing to get back before Yugao skinned him alive. She bid him farewell and had begun to part ways when he lightly stopped her by the wrist.

“Sakura, consider what I said earlier. About the mission. I know you’ve been stuck inside that hospital, but even a medic such as yourself must miss shinobi work.”

She looked at him, feeling a weird twist of guilt in her stomach. She could see it in his face, despite half of it being covered by his mask. He needed an escape, and he could tell that she wanted one too. This was a chance he was giving her to finally get away. And he needed her to be the one to go.

“I will,” she nodded, placing her hand over the one he had on her wrist. He briefly glanced down at the contact before gently removing his hand. He stuck it back inside his pant’s pocket.

“Good. If you can, try to inform me in a couple of days. Otherwise they’re going to assign a partner for me.”

“And heaven forbid someone get stuck with Kakashi Hatake on a mission that’s supposed to be a solo, high-rank operation,” she said dryly. He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Meaning…?”

“Oh nothing, nothing at all. It isn’t like you have a reputation for making most of your comrades’ lives a living hell while they are teamed up with you. You’re a bit of a hard ass, Kakashi, and not everyone has your level of tolerance when it comes to the difficult missions.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he huffed, staring down the bridge of his nose at her and looking every part the conceited brat he sometimes acted to be. She couldn’t help smirking at the display.

“You shouldn’t,” she snickered.

“Well I will,” he retorted coolly, fishing his book out from his back pouch. She internally rolled her eyes at him, guessing that it was the end of the conversation.

“Thank you,” she found herself saying before she could turn away. He looked up from the page he was reading.

“Pardon?”

“I said thank you. For coming and talking to me, and for the water,” she rambled. For some reason she felt a little uncomfortable for expressing her gratitude. She really was thankful, but perhaps it was the strange way he was looking at her that made her feel uneasy.

“It’s, uh, no problem,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Wow. If Sakura didn’t know him better, she would have thought he was feeling diffident from her appreciation, perhaps even embarrassed. She cleared her throat.

“Well, see ya!” She said with maybe a little too much mirth. She waved as she turned, heading back in the direction of her apartment. Kakashi’s nose was already back to being buried in the pages of his book as he offered a raised hand in a silent farewell.

The moment she was back at the front of her complex, she realized she had forgotten to browse the shops for some gloves. She sighed. Perhaps she could just go look for some after her shift tomorrow. She was tired, and an early night in bed sounded too good to pass up.

She made her way inside and eventually ended up in her shower. She let the last of the water rinse off the suds from her soap, enjoying the blissful way the heat soothed her tight muscles after the hours she’d spent beating up the steel post.

Once under the soft spread of her bed, she wiggled her clean toes against the blanket and sleepily curled into herself. Her bed wasn’t a luxurious thing, but it was comfortable and could snugly fit at least two people in it. Not that she needed it to. She sighed unhappily.

Before she would allow her thoughts to go that direction, she thought back on Kakashi’s offer. It _had_ been awhile since she had been on a mission with him, let alone a mission in general. The prospect of being out in the world again, with no hospital work to tie her down and no house chores begging to be taken care of, was too tempting for Sakura to pass up. Who knew when she would get the chance again? Especially with Kakashi, who was now technically the village’s Hokage. She couldn’t waste it. She would talk to Tsunade tomorrow to see if she could take the necessary time off for it.

Too excited about her first mission in months, Sakura lay awake in her bed wondering what their mission entailed. A few hours later, her eyes began to drift closed on her, and she let herself get swept away into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

“Michio-kun, I am _really_ going to need you to hold as still as you- _can_!” Sakura grunted, doing her best to wrestle the boy into submission. He hadn’t stopped thrashing around, and it was furthering his injuries to his arm and shoulder. She’d asked her assistant nurse to fetch his parents a few minutes ago, and she still hadn’t returned.

“Just leave it alone! It hurts when you touch it!” he yelled at her, fresh tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

“This would be easier if you just- _ow_!” Sakura’s cheek took the blow from his sharp elbow. He’d swung with his good arm, luckily. But the more he moved the more he would aggravate his fractures. She had to put a stop to his tantrum before it worsened.

Patients sometimes panicked when they woke up in a strange room, and the boy’s parents had brought him in while he was unconscious. They hadn't known what had happened to him, but Sakura had determined that the extent of his injuries were minor and that she would heal him as soon as she could.

As soon as she had begun though, he’d woken up and had an immediate flight reaction to his surroundings. Sakura hadn’t seen an academy student this frightened of a hospital in all her years as the head medic. She would avoid subduing him if she could, but it was starting to look like it would help him more if she did.

“Please, listen to me Michio. I need you to calm down,” she tried to soften her voice, catching his aimed fist firmly. His eyes were wild. She feared if she made any sudden movements, their wrestling match would begin all over again. She took a slow and steady breath and smiled calmly at him.

“I’m sorry, I know it hurts. Can I at least look at it? I can even tell you exactly what I’m doing while I’m doing it so that there aren't any surprises.”

Michio gave her an impressive pout, and his brown eyes were skeptical. “If you only _look_...”

“I promise, I won’t touch it.” She held her hands out in front of her in an effort to pacify him. He seemed to relax, but only a little.

“Okay,” he sniffed. She nodded encouragingly as he supported his arm with his hand and slowly held it out to her as much as he could. Good. This was progress. Sakura summoned her chakra into the palm of her hand, holding it before him to see. His eyes widened at the faint green glow emanating from it.

“What is that?” he gasped, instinctively bringing his arm closer to his chest.

“This is my mystical palm technique. Do you see how it glows from my hand?” she explained slowly.

“What are you going to do with it?” he asked, his breath quickening again as sweat began to form on his forehead.

“Well, if you’ll let me, I’d like to heal your injuries with it. I can show you how it works on myself first, if you like. Want to see?” she added before he could protest. He seemed to think about it for a minute before he nodded hesitantly.

She smiled and raised her hand to the cheek he had accidentally struck in the midst of his conniption. The green chakra seemed to brighten momentarily before it reduced the swelling and redness, and then finally the small cut on her skin sealed up until it returned to normal.

Michio’s mouth hung open in awe, and Sakura couldn’t help grinning at his reaction.

“You see?” she asked, allowing the chakra to fade away. She turned her hand this way and that to show him all was safe. “Nothing to worry about.”

“Oh,” he said, letting his arm drop to his lap. “And it doesn’t hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt,” she shook her head in reassurance.

“Alright, I guess I’ll let you fix my arm for me,” he grinned shyly. His new found eagerness surprised her, but she wasn’t going to take a chance and have him change his mind again.

“Good. I’ll have to hold your arm out, but that’s the worst of it. Think you can tough it out for a minute?”

“Will it hurt a lot?” he asked in a small voice, his face unsure again.

“Not a lot, but even the best ninjas have to be strong sometimes. Do you want to be a strong ninja someday?” She asked in an attempt to distract him as she took his arm and began to hold it out. He sucked in sharply and whimpered a little, so she stopped and waited.

“Ye-yes I do,” he sniffled, trying to keep his face as brave as he could make it. For a six year old, he was sure giving it his best to seem unaffected. Sakura mentally applauded him for the change in effort after his earlier fit.

“Okay. Deep breath,” she warned him soothingly before she summoned her chakra and applied it into the fractures. He yelped out once or twice, but soon began to relax as she mended him. A few quiet minutes went by, and she could feel the cracks in his bones welding back together. His eyes even began to drift closed as all of his anxiety that had earlier reared its ugly head started to dissipate. Kids always seemed to become exhausted after an intense bout of emotion.

“There, all done,” she sighed in relief.

Just then the doors swung open, and Sakura motioned for the couple to come in.

“Mom!” Michio shouted happily as he dove off of the bed and ran to her, making Sakura cringe at his carelessness. His mother caught him quickly and held him in her arms, smiling.

“Oh sweetie! Is your arm all better?”

“Yeah! This lady did this really cool glowing green thing with her hands!”

As Michio went on about the appointment, Sakura stood and made her way over to his father. He bowed to her and handed her the finished paperwork.

“I apologize for not getting here sooner! Akane wanted to stop by the house and grab his blanket. We thought it would help. As you probably found out, Michio doesn’t do well with hospitals,” he apologized.

‘ _Sounds like someone else I know,’_ Sakura thought snidely to herself, picturing a certain head of messy, silver hair.

“It was no trouble! He did quite well,” she smiled politely before tucking the chart into her clipboard. “His head didn’t have any signs of trauma so I can’t say for certain how he ended up unconscious. Just a slight bruise was all, and the rest has been taken care of. Though I do recommend he take it easy for the rest of the week. His body will still need to heal what’s left of the damage on its own.”

“Does that mean I can’t play with Eiji today?” The boy frowned unhappily up at his mother.

“Probably not, not if you want your arm to get fully better, musuko,” Michio’s father kissed his son’s head affectionately. Sakura watched the exchange with a small ache in her chest, which she fiercely ignored. She turned her eyes back down to the paperwork in hand.

“I believe that settles everything! Make sure he doesn’t do anything too strenuous with his arm for a week and have him come back in for a check up if he experiences any pains. Thank you for coming in today!” She handed off the clipboard to her assistant and waved them goodbye as Miyu escorted them into the hallway.

“Thanks, miss doctor!” Michio called back through the doors before they closed all the way. Sakura smiled and shook her head. His parents had their work cut out for that bundle of energy, that was for sure.

“I’m sorry for not getting here sooner, Miss Haruno,” her assistant smiled apologetically as she re-entered the room. “I trust things went well?”

“As well as they could have,” Sakura responded, absently touching her cheek where the boy had struck her earlier. It had been an accident of course, and it wasn’t the first time she had been hit by a patient who had woken up with no idea as to where they were or what was going on, but that kid had been pretty strong for his size.

A thought came to her.

“Wait, Miyu,” she called after her assistant. The shorter woman stopped in the doorway.

“Yes, Sakura-san?”

Sakura grabbed a paper from one of the room’s drawers and scribbled a quick note on it before handing it to the girl. “Would you mind giving this to Michio before they leave? I need to check in with another patient.”

“I’ll take care of it,” she nodded at her with a smile. Sakura thanked her, and Miyu watched as the woman’s lab coat trailed after her through the doors. When they clicked shut behind her, she couldn’t help glancing down in curiosity at the neatly written note.

_You’re going to be such a strong ninja when you grow up. Take care of yourself Michio-kun!_

_Miss doctor,_

_Sakura Haruno._

 

 

“Shishou?” Sakura peeked her head through the sliding doors. The light was on, but no reply came. Daring to move in further, she stuck her head all the way inside. An empty chair sat pushed-in to the desk near the back window. The seats lining the far wall were also empty, and the only thing that told her that her master had been here recently was the sound of the fan spinning in the corner.

“Where is she?” Sakura asked, more to herself than anyone who could hear her.

“She’s gone to the tower at the Hokage’s request,” a voice said from behind her. Sakura turned around to find Ino shrugging out of her lab coat as she approached. “Oh! Forehead, I didn’t realize it was you.”

“Hey Ino Pig,” Sakura greeted in their long-familiar way. The nicknames were used more fondly these days than they had been when they were still students; the tones they used were less biting. Occasionally the riled-up, drunken argument would push them back to their old ways as rivals and before it could go anywhere unpleasant they would break down into fits of laughter. Ah the ridiculousness of friendship. What a beautiful thing it was.

“Tsunade was actually looking for you. She asked me to send you to the Hokage tower as soon as you were through with your shift. Are you done for the day?”

“Yeah, just finished,” Sakura joined her friend as they made their way to the bio-hazard hampers. Ino was about to dump her coat into the bin before she stopped and smirked, taking a number of steps back. Sakura gave her a curious look.

“Ino?”

“Let’s see if I can make it in one shot, Forehead. If I do, you’re coming over tonight to hang out with me.” She balled up the coat in her hands and held it above her shoulder, ready to make the throw.

Sakura laughed at the blonde kunoichi who now stood at least ten feet back into the hallway they had come from. “Fine, but if you can make it from the lockers back there, I’ll even treat you to some takeout.”

“Deal!”

She made her way to the cabinets, tightening the band in her hair before she bunched up her coat again. She licked her lips in dramatic concentration. “Here’s the wind-up...”

Sakura doubled over in a fit of giggles. Ino's legs stood apart in an offensive stance, her arm winding around in fierce, wide circles

“And the pitch!” Her arm whipped ahead of her, and the ball of fabric was airborne. Sakura’s laughter died down as her eyes glued to the flying lab coat.

The Yamanaka girl’s aim was sharp, but neither of them anticipated the lone figure rounding the corner. The coat came unraveled in the air and landed perfectly on top of the man’s head, startling him as he fell back a few steps with a surprised _oof!_

“Forehead! Look what you did!” Ino accused in mock horror, sticking her tongue out at her as she hurried over to the man. Sakura’s face burned red in embarrassment.

“What?? Yeah right, Pig! That one was all you!” She huffed, but couldn’t suppress the laughter in her voice. She pursued after her friend who was currently extracting the medical coat off of the poor guy’s face.

“Sorry about that, sir. We didn’t see you there,” Ino half-laughed, then her eyes narrowed.

“Man, what a drag,” his deep, lazy voice drawled. He swatted at the bunched-up cloth in her hands in mild irritation.

“Oh, it’s just Shikamaru,” Ino said almost disappointedly. She sighed. “If I had known that, I wouldn’t have bothered helping get it off of you.”

“As always, your thoughtfulness astounds me,” he retorted dryly, shoving his hands into his pockets and staring at the both of them with disinterest. The man constantly looked like the walking definition of indolence. Sakura didn’t know how he managed to do it every single day of his life.

“I should get going to the Hokage’s office. I’ll see you around, Ino,” Sakura smiled at her as she deposited her own coat into the laundry bin. Ino gave her a small smile back and a wave of her hand.

“Just remember Sakura, I’ll be expecting you later!”

“Sure sure. I might even bring you something if I feel like it, even though you missed!” Sakura goaded, quirking a grin at her before making a hasty exit.

“It was Shika’s fault!” She called after her with her hands cupped around her mouth. Ino knew she’d heard her from the way her chuckle carried with her out the door. The blonde watched her go, her fond smile still in place. She was relieved to see that Sakura seemed to be in brighter spirits today. She was more playful than she had been in awhile.

“What were you two doing, anyway?” Shikamaru asked, cutting into her thoughts. Ino turned back to her old teammate and waved her hand dismissively.

“Oh it was nothing, just a silly game. Sooo… Shika… what’s the word lately with you and the Sand princess?” She slunk over to him, looping her arm around his with a smug grin. Her sly tone made Shikamaru’s skin crawl. He groaned out loud.

“Please, Ino.”

“Oh come on, what kind of friend doesn’t tell about their super secret love life with the sister of the Kazekage?”

“Would you keep it down?” Shikamaru stressed, quickly clamping a hand over her mouth and flinching at the curious stares of a couple nurses passing by. He grabbed her hand. “Don’t ask me that in such a public place."

“Aww come on, I was just wondering,” she pouted, letting herself get dragged behind him through the hospital doors.

“If you want to talk, ask me later, in private,” he grumbled, dropping her hand once they were outside.

“Jeez, you sure know how to suck the fun out of some juicy gossip, don’t you?”

 

~

 

A light knock rapped on the door. Kakashi turned his head away from Lady Tsunade and lowered his feet from where they were propped up comfortably on the Hokage’s desk. His desk. He mentally shook his head at himself in mild disbelief. Some days, it was still hard for him to fathom that he was now the village’s leader. The Hokage was considered to be the strongest ninja in the village. He certainly didn’t feel like one of Konoha’s greats while he was stuck in piles of paperwork all day long

“Come in.”

A pink head of hair poked through, followed by the rest of Sakura Haruno. Kakashi’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he smiled at her, his eyes creasing from the action.

“Sakura, I was just informing Lady Tsunade on the details of the upcoming mission. Have you decided?”

“I have,” she smiled back and nodded. She turned to her master. “Shishou, I’d like to join the Rokudaime on this assignment.”

Tsunade breathed deeply before taking a seat across from Kakashi. She looked between the two of them, her mouth set in a thin line. She sighed and hunched over in her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose between her tightly shut eyes.

“You do realize that the council will not approve of your leaving, Kakashi. Especially not before they announce my retirement officially.”

“With all due respect, Tsunade-sama, they would approve of it even less after they do.” He crossed his arms over his chest and spun idly in his chair a couple of times. Sakura remained standing at attention, but it was hard to keep her expression serious when the current Hokage was spinning in his seat like a bored child.

“Be that as it may,” Tsunade shot an annoyed look at the man before addressing her apprentice. “Sakura, this mission is a top secret assignment. Only you and Kakashi can know about it other than myself. Should you disclose any information to an outside party, even someone as close to you as Naruto, you will be risking an international crisis.”

Sakura eyes widened and then looked to Kakashi, who had thankfully stilled his chair at the gravity of the situation. His face was perfectly neutral, but his eyes were earnest when he nodded once in her direction. She swallowed.

“How long will we be away from the village?” She asked.

“It depends. You could be gone for only a few weeks, but realistically it could take as long as three months. It just depends on too many factors that we can’t predict.”

“Which is only part of why this mission is an S-class one. Sakura,” Kakashi stood. He took a scroll off of his desk and made his way around it, standing directly in front of her. She began to reach for the sealed parchment in his hand, but Kakashi hesitated.

“We still have a while before we actually need to set out for the Hidden Rain village,” he said, carefully watching her reaction at the news of the mission’s destination. “I know I asked you to, but you don’t have to accept this mission. You still have the chance to change your mind, and there’s no shame in it if you do.”

The soft way he was looking at her was doing funny things to her insides. Sakura knew why he was stalling. The second she broke the seal on the scroll, she would be pledging herself to completing this mission or die trying. The S-class assignments were only given to elite shinobi for good reason. For someone like Kakashi, whose will of fire was so unshakable that he would sacrifice himself for the sake of the village without a second thought, these missions were just a part of life. But she was the head medic at the hospital and was even being considered to be assigned as a sensei to a team of Genin.

The fact of the matter was, was that Kakashi knew Sakura had a lot more to lose should they fail. For him, he’d accepted death long ago. The risks didn’t weigh as heavily on him as it would on her. She was a formidable shinobi, and her brute strength was unmatched in the five great nations, except for the woman she’d been apprenticed under and had inherited it from. But being an elite didn’t guarantee anything. Even the best warriors fell, to their enemies or from their own mistakes. Deep down, he hoped she would turn it down and stay within the sterile, secure walls of her lab where she would be safe from harm.

But this was the life they chose, and so he forced himself to ignore the twinge in his gut when she took the scroll from his hand. At the same time, he was relieved she would be the one partnered up with him. The times they’d served together over the years had proven them to be an impressive team, even landing her a spot in the newest sections of the bingo book. It was something he still had mixed feelings about; a strange blend of pride and worry that left him feeling more or less unsettled. It was only natural. He told himself it was because he had made her a promise, and even if it now felt like he’d made it in another lifetime, he intended to do his best to keep this one.

“Hokage-sama?” Sakura asked, slowly bringing him out of his thoughts. His eyes met hers, and their green depths were laced with concern. He shifted under her scrutiny. Back to business.

“If you accept, break the seal and study the contents. You’ll only have ten minutes to go over the finer details before the scroll self-destructs. I recommend you aren’t still holding it when it does.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and grinned. Sakura had to resist rolling her eyes in front of her master.

“I’ll take that recommendation under consideration, oh wise and powerful leader,” she responded with her sweetest, fakest smile. For emphasis on what she thought of his stating the obvious, she gave him a swift, mocking bow.

“I can see that the sass between you two is still practically non-existent,” Tsunade commented sarcastically as she rose from her seat. “Sakura, we can talk about an arrangement for your temporary replacement at the hospital another time. I still have some things to discuss with the Rokudaime.”

“Yes, shishou,” she bowed sincerely this time. Then, turning to Kakashi, she said, “Hokage-sama.”

“See you later, Sakura.” He reached out and ruffled her hair, dodging her when she swung at him. He chuckled and made his way back to his chair.

As she departed, she glanced at the pair through the closing door. Kakashi was back in his spinning seat, his hands tucked behind his head and his feet were propped up on the desk, legs crossed. While he looked completely at-ease, her master remained standing, her shoulders set in a tense manner.

Sakura shut the door all the way, waiting for the click of the handle before turning to make her way down the corridor. She hadn’t even taken one step when she heard Tsunade’s muffled words through the door. The tone was unmistakably threatening.

“Listen to me very carefully, Hatake, because I will only say this once. If you don’t bring her back to me in one piece, I’ll have your head.”

 

 

“About time you showed up! It’s almost too late to eat dinner now,” Ino jeered, leaving her door open for Sakura to let herself in. She slowly worked her boots off with her toes before kicking them to the corner of the welcome mat.

“I’m glad you never care about if my shoes are lined up perfectly.”

“I’d be a hypocrite if I picked on you about it. Besides, my mom doesn’t get upset about it like yours does.”

“One of the many reasons I don’t live with them anymore,” Sakura muttered, setting their food down on the table. She opened a couple of the boxes and the delicious aroma that filled the room had her stomach talking instantly. The dango especially was calling out to her.

“So, what kept you, huh? Too busy checking out Kakashi’s ass while you were in the office?” Ino quipped, reaching for a few of her own things to munch on. “Thanks for getting us food, by the way.”

“You’re welcome. And no, I most certainly was not. That’s not exactly the most respectful way to talk about my former team captain.” She bit into one of the dumplings and slid it off its skewer, casting a glare at her long-time friend. “Let alone the fact that he’s the Hokage now. You know, the most respected ninja in the village?”

“Sakura, even if he is in a highly respectable position, which I do respect him for it, it doesn’t change the fact that the man has got one hell of a bod! And I guarantee that I’m not the only one to have noticed.”

Sakura practically choked on her food when she caught Ino eyeing her critically.

“What are you trying to say, Pig? Have you suddenly lost interest in Sai and now have the hots for my former teacher?”

“What! Hell no. Forehead, Kakashi may be alluring in his own way, but he’s got nothing on Sai. And for the record, he hasn’t been your teacher for nearly a decade. Don’t make it weird.”

Sakura gave her a look of pure disdain.

“Look. All I’m saying is you’d have to be blind, or dead, to not have noticed.”

“It’s not like I haven’t noticed...” Sakura trailed off, not at all liking the direction Ino was trying to get the conversation to go in.

How could she _not_ notice? The times where the two of them had been on missions together made it nearly impossible for her to not have seen more of him at some point. The man was an enigma, and he’d managed to keep his face hidden from team seven for years, but as his assigned medic she’d seen her fair share of the shirtless, former Copy Ninja. He was all hard, lean musculature. His strong, corded arms and back especially tended to distract her during his annual exams.

Ino had wandered in to restock the room on one of the days Kakashi had been due for his exam. She’d caught a younger, blushing Sakura stealing glances at him as he removed his Jounin shirt and pants for her, leaving him in nothing but his mask and boxers. It was something she knew Ino would never let her live down.

The Yamanaka woman watched Sakura’s warring facial expressions in mild amusement. She guessed her cherry-haired friend was thinking along the same lines. They usually were when discussing such things. The day she had found Sakura Haruno struggling to keep her eyes off of the great Copy Nin, shirtless and pantless in all his glory in the hospital’s exam room, had been an eye-opener for her. Ino hadn’t been able to help ogling at him a little herself, but to have seen Sakura do the same was a surprise. She had thought that after everything the Uchiha had put her through that Sakura would not want anything to do with men, at least not for awhile. Unless it was to heal them as a doctor or act as mamma duck for her old team.

She’d sworn after becoming a Chuunin to forsake her role as a matchmaker among her peers, but she couldn’t help wanting to push her best friend into letting herself take a chance to be attracted to someone other than Sasuke. Ino had found her chance in that exam room, even if it did go by the name of Kakashi Hatake.

Her pale eyes regarded Sakura as she idly moved her chopsticks through her rice over and over again. She looked far away in thought, and it was starting to grate on her.

“Forehead, I know I’m not your mother, but if you’re not going to eat your food then don’t play with it.”

Her head snapped up at Ino’s jibe, an annoyed smirk crossing her features. “Then don’t watch me eat, Pig.”

 

 

Ino was fast asleep in her bedroll. Sakura looked over at her under the dim light of the moon pouring through the window and smiled. Her long, blonde hair seemed to spread out wildly in every direction over her pillow. She ran her fingers through her own long tresses, a light, shy flush tinting her cheeks when she reflected on her departure from his office earlier.

_She let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding as soon as she stepped outside of the Hokage tower. The sun was setting low in the sky, the last of its rays kissing her skin warmly. The scroll in her hand felt as if it weighed a ton. She looked down at it warily, wondering not for the first time if she was in over her head. Kakashi would keep her safe, she knew that. But it had been awhile since she’d been on active duty outside of the hospital. An S-rank mission was probably more risky than it was a nice escape from her daily life . She feared she’d be putting him in more danger than she would be helping him if she went with him._

_Before she had even fully thought it through, she was back at his office door. She listened for a moment, but there were no more muffled voices. She knocked tentatively._

_“Come in,” he called through the door. Sakura closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to move assertively, before she turned the handle and entered._

_His gaze was lowered to the papers on his desk, and his hand was moving a brush across a parchment. She approached until she stood directly in front of his desk. He didn’t take his eyes off of his work._

_“You know, I’ve never been good at this calligraphy thing. I can barely sign my own name without it looking like a child’s writing.”_

_“Hokage-sama, maybe it would be better if you were assigned a different partner for this mission.” There. She said it. Now she would see the relief on his face and would know that she was right; she wasn’t cut out for such an assignment. Not so soon, anyways. She twisted her hands in front of her, anticipating his reaction._

_Kakashi’s hand paused on the kanji he was completing. For whatever reason, it unnerved her, and she suddenly felt like she needed to explain._

_“It’s just that I haven’t been sent outside of the village for shinobi work in months. I’ve been in the hospital for so long and have only had the occasional day to train with an actual person, not just the combat posts. I’m worried I’m a bit rusty in the fighting department, and you need more than just a medic for a mission of this rank. With all due respect, Rokudaime, I fear I will be less of an asset to you and more of a liability, and I’m not willing to risk your life just so I can get away from the hospital for a few weeks.”_

_She eventually tore her eyes from where they had been previously watching her feet fidget with great interest. He had looked up from his papers at some point and now had his dark eyes settled on her face. She felt like he was examining her, probably thinking of a nice way to say he agreed with her, she guessed. But he didn’t say anything, not for a solid three minutes. He just watched her, his eyes searching hers in silence before he finally sighed dramatically, running a gloved hand through his silver mop ._

_“It’s the hair, isn’t it?”_

_Sakura couldn’t stop the unlady-like snort that burst from her. It wasn’t exactly the response she’d been expecting. Then again, this was Kakashi she was talking to._

_“What?” She asked._

_“I know it tends to have a mind of its own, but I promise, I can change,” he said, standing and then kneeling before her with his hands clasped together. She bit her cheeks hard, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her smile at his ridiculousness._

_“Kakashi, I’m being perfectly serious.”_

_“And I’m not?”_

_“Are you?” She asked incredulously, the corners of her mouth twitching from the restraint._

_“About my hair having a mind of its own? Completely.”_

_“No, you idiot,” she laughed, her smile finally breaking past her solemn facade. “Not that.”_

_Kakashi rose from where he’d previously been kneeling. His eyes danced with humor as he smiled warmly at her . His thumb lightly grazed the corner of her upturned lips. “ Ah, there it is.”_

_Her gaze locked with his, and she felt her breath catch in her chest. He was standing too close. His face was only about a foot above hers with the slight way he was leaning down. Even with the mask on, she found her eyes trailing down to his lips of their own accord ._

_An uncomfortable throat clearing snapped her out of it and she nearly jumped back a few feet, startled out of her obvious staring. He rubbed the back of his neck and took a couple of steps back, putting a safer distance between them and what had just happened._ Had _something just happened?_

_“Sakura, I’ve seen you fight in recent weeks. You’re far from rusty, and I wouldn’t have offered the position to you if I had thought for even a second that you wouldn’t be an asset to the mission.”_

_She looked up at him at the sudden change of his tone._

_“I won’t force you to go. You’re an adult, Jounin kunoichi. It’s your choice. But I’d feel much better having you watch my back,” he said sincerely. As if that hadn’t been enough to change her mind, he gave her his usual eye-creased smile and then shoved his hands into his pockets. His trademark look, complete with the usual slouch in his shoulders and his new Jounin attire, was a completely unfair advantage he unknowingly had over her._

_“Alright, fine, I’ll go.”_

_“Mah, and here I thought I was going to have to bribe you with some sugary sweets like the good old days. Glad to see you’re being reasonable, Sakura-chan.”_

_“Oh no, I’ll still be taking the sweets. They might solidify my decision to partner with you,” she grinned at him before tapping a thoughtful, polished finger against her lips. “I like chocolate cherries, by the way.”_

_He watched her slender finger rest against her slightly parted mouth. Another uncomfortable throat clearing._

_“Right. I’ll think about it.”_

_“You’ll actually get them if you’re a smart man. Thank you, Hokage-sama,” she smiled at him. “But I should probably get going. My hair is in need of some serious work.”_

_Kakashi seemed to be lost in his thoughts for a moment before he returned to the conversation at hand. “Hm? Your hair?”_

_“Yeah, it’s gotten long again,” she sighed, tugging harshly at a stubborn knot in her ends. “It’s always easier if I just chop it off.”_

_A pair of gloved hands wrapped around the one she was using to furiously work out the knot with. She stiffened harshly, but then relaxed when she realized he was just trying to help her. She removed her hand to let him untangle it._

_“It’s your hair. You look good with it either way. I have to admit, though, I like it when it’s long like this.”_

Sakura continued to distractedly play with the strands of hair he’d ran his fingers through after he’d finished combing out the rest of the cluster of tangled pink hair. The flush crept from her cheeks to her chest, and even the cool night air blowing through the open window couldn’t make her forget his warmth.

“ _You do?”_ She’d asked.

He’d laughed, and had reassured her that she’d look beautiful however she wanted to cut it.

She smiled sleepily to herself as she lay back on her own bedroll, looking up at the moon peering through darkened clouds in Ino’s window. Maybe she’d keep the long hair, just for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos if you're enjoying the story so far:)


	3. Chapter 3

“You know, I can’t understand why some people don’t like being outside when it’s like this,” Kiba smiled, raising his arms up and sticking his tongue out to catch the rain. Akamaru barked happily, seeming to agree with his ninja partner. He leapt off of the ground and snapped his jaws at a couple of falling drops.

Shino watched the splashing duo from a safe distance away before he sneezed harshly. He removed his hands from his pockets and quickly rubbed them up and down his arms; doing his best to not appear to be shivering as badly as he was.

“Kiba, most people don’t like being out in the rain. Why? Because it’s wet and cold,” he grumbled unhappily.

Kiba turned toward his friend, his smile slipping a little. “You don't say.”

Akamaru dashed towards Shino’s shelter beneath the tree, but tried to stop too late. His front paws slipped out from beneath him, splattering mud in every direction. The insect shinobi couldn’t have avoided the tumbling ninja hound if his life depended on it, and soon they were both face up in a dirty puddle. Kiba stood there blinking for a moment, then barked out a sharp laugh.

“Ha! That’s right, Akamaru, show him what he’s missing out on!”

Akamaru yipped and licked the mud from Shino’s eyewear, leaving blurry streaks in wake of his tongue. Shino lay there wordlessly on his back; soaked and fuming in silence.

“Hey guys! What’s going on?”

The two shinobi looked towards the source of the voice. Tenten, accompanied by a familiar figure in a green jumpsuit, were making their way towards them.

“Hey Tenten, Lee, what’s up?” Kiba said. Lee grinned and stretched a hand out towards him in greeting, which Kiba took and shook earnestly in return.

“We’re on our way to visit Neji,” Tenten said softly. Her eyes dropped to the bouquet of flowers she carried, and Lee placed a gentle hand on her elbow and nodded. Kiba watched their saddened faces, his own lips tilting downward.

“Hey, maybe Shino and I should tag along? It’s been awhile since we’ve stopped by.”

“I think Neji would like that,” Lee perked up, his usual smile quickly returning.

“That is, uh, if Shino is…?” Tenten trailed off, tentatively poking her head around Kiba’s shoulder. Kiba followed his comrades’ odd gazes to the sulking man, still lying in the puddle, and groaned.

“Shino, are you ever gonna get up?”

He didn’t budge, but continued to look up into the gloomy sky, letting the rain fall on his cheeks. “I’ve accepted my fate. Leave me here to suffer in cold silence.”

Akamaru whimpered and hopped off of the brooding shinobi before trotting over to his master’s side. Kiba’s shoulders visually slumped.

“It’s just a little water, man. I’ll treat you later, if it cheers you up?”

 

~

 

Rain tapped against her window, seeming to ask if it could come inside where it was nice and warm. Sakura shut off her dryer, idly watching a couple of the fat droplets merge together before sliding down the glass. She didn’t know why she was trying to dry her hair when she was planning to go out in the storm anyways.

Her eyes flicked to the calendar nailed to her wall, landing on one day in particular. So, it was today. She wondered if anyone else was going to be there. Naruto, for sure, would be, if he was back from his mission.

That was enough incentive for her to walk right out the door, her hair still tousled and damp from her shower.

Once outside, she zipped her old cloak up the rest of the way and donned on her hood. Civilians were hastily bustling around; those without proper coverage taking shelter on empty porches or inside of nearby shops. Sakura ignored the chill of the boggy air, keeping her face hidden as she went.

A few paces away, the Yamanaka flower shop came into view. It was dark enough outside that Sakura could see the dim, golden glow of the lights coming through the windows as she approached.

She was just about to push her way inside when someone else reached for the handle from beside her. She jumped.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“No no, it’s fine. Please, lady’s first,” the cloaked man said, holding the door open for her. She turned towards him, smiling at his courtesy.

“Thank you.”

Inside of the shop, a soft wave of warmth touched her face, and hundreds of colorful arrangements flooded her vision. She took in a slow, steady breath, appreciating the sweet, floral smell of her friend’s hard work. Ino had taken over the shop after her father had been killed during the war and, in Sakura’s opinion, had really outdone herself with it.

Her friend had a knack for putting things together in a way that was pleasing to the eye. Trying to find colors or things that complemented one another was something Sakura wished she was better at, although, Ino had once told her that she had a creativeness she wished she herself possessed. Still, she had yet to see said creativeness apply to situations outside of combat.

The man that had held the door for her kept his hood on as he moved past her, towards some dark-colored rhododendrons. If Sakura remembered any of Ino’s flower lectures correctly, those particular flowers weren’t native to the area. They were not very cheap, either.

“Hey there, Forehead! How’s it going?” A familiar head of blonde hair poked up from behind the register. Sakura smiled and undid her cloak, hanging it up on a stand in the corner. She made her way over to her friend and leaned over the counter, trying to better see what she was doing.

“Hey, Ino Pig.”

“Would you mind helping me get these to Sai in the back room?”

Dozens of packets of what looked like plant food were nearly spilling over her arms from where she crouched near a box of hundreds more. Sakura walked around the counter and took up half of the contents already in Ino’s arms, arching a brow at her.

“Why are you taking them out of the box? You could just take the whole box to the back instead.”

“I like to keep some up in the front, to maintain the potted plants we already have out,” Ino shrugged, causing a couple of packets to fall from the action. “And Sai only needs a hundred or so, so I figured I’d leave the rest here.”

“Alright,” Sakura said, turning towards the swinging rear door. She followed Ino back through the hall, shortly coming to a stop inside of a dim room. A thin tent was taking up almost the entire space. It had to be some sort of indoor greenhouse.

“Sai! Here’s the food you asked for,” Ino called out. She grunted as she dropped her armful into a tub near the tent flap. Sakura followed her in turn, giving her friend a mildly surprised look.

“Since when did Sai start working at the flower shop?”

“Since three days ago!” Ino smiled happily. “I didn’t realize how nice it was to have an assistant until he volunteered to take the position! Of course, I wasn’t originally planning to have another florist work with me in the shop, but when he offered to come help me, I certainly wasn’t going to let him work for free. So, I hired him officially.”

“Doesn’t hurt that you harbor a certain infatuation for the guy, either,” Sakura whispered teasingly. In return, she got a hard, playful push to her side.

“Oh hush, you. Hey Sai! I’ll be working at the till if you need anything,” Ino said more loudly towards the supposed location of her current love interest. Sai’s small hum of confirmation let them know he had heard her, so the two kunoichi made their way back to the store front.

At the counter, Ino turned to her friend with a smile. “Thanks for the help, Sakura. If you’re here for flowers for Neji, a lot of the old rookie nine have been getting sunflowers today. It makes sense, considering his name and all, but it might be a good idea to get something else; mix it up.”

“Thanks, Ino.”

“Excuse me,” a familiar voice cut in politely. “I think I’d like to purchase these.”

“Excellent choice, sir!” Ino grinned and proceeded to take the bills from his hand. She gave Sakura a look that told her to get out from behind the counter, so she did. As she browsed the arrangements, she kept glancing at the hooded man buying flowers. He’d sounded a lot like someone she knew, but there was no way _that_ man would pay that much for one bouquet. Would he?

Her curiosity got the better of her, and she approached him in line with her own bundle of lilies.

“Those are beautiful,” she commented from beside him. The man towering above her turned only slightly in her direction, still concealing his face.

“Thank you. They’re a favorite of a friend of mine’s.”

Sakura eyed the pricey bundle of violet flowers with admiration. “Your friend has good taste.”

“I always thought so,” he chuckled softly, taking the flowers off of the counter before walking past her. Sakura eyes followed him as he made his way to the door before turning back to pay for her own.

 

 

The door jingled as she closed it behind her. She sighed quietly to herself, turning to face the pouring rain once more, only to be met with the presence of the tall man from inside of the shop instead. He was standing before her, blocking her way to the muddy path.

“Sorry, can I help you?” She asked with a slight frown.

“Actually,” he chuckled, sliding his hood off and revealing a head of rain-darkened, wet silver hair. “I was wondering if you’d like to walk with me to the cenotaph, seeing as we’re both heading that way anyway.”

“I thought that was you, you dork,” Sakura grinned. “Why didn’t you say something inside of the shop?”

“I prefer to remain anonymous with my floral purchases,” he shrugged, holding up the flowers she’d been admiring earlier as if to emphasize his meaning. They were the purple rhododendrons.

“You’re so weird sometimes,” she said, trying not to laugh as they began to walk.

“Looks like we have something in common, then.”

“Hey!” She said, elbowing him sharply in the side. She couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her when he let out a small _oof!_ “At least I’m not as strange as you.”

“Strange? I prefer to think of myself as a limited edition,” he mused, looking up at the overcast sky. “Something you don’t see that often.”

“I can’t argue with that, considering you’re damn near impossible to find when you don’t want to be.”

He gave her an eye-crease smile, tilting his head to the side innocently. “Mah, Sakura, it’s good reconnaissance training. Can’t have my precious ex-students getting rusty now.”

“So the dear, old Hokage finally admits that he hides, under the vindication that it’s training for the old team?” Sakura shook her head in disappointment. “I’ve heard more impressive excuses from you over ditching the bill.”

“I’m not _that_ old.” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Right, and Naruto never wants to be Hokage.” She jibed. His frown deepened, and he looked away.

“If you were my personal assistant, I’d fire you.”

Sakura had to quickly cover her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh at his sudden, curt tone. Age must’ve been a new sore spot for her past sensei.

“Then it’s probably a good thing that I’m not your personal assistant, Hokage-sama.”

 

 

The rest of the walk was done in companionable silence. Sakura was surprised that Kakashi hadn’t once reached for his favored reading material. Perhaps it was the seriousness of their destination that kept his thoughts otherwise occupied. Sakura wasn’t complaining. In fact, she realized that she liked it when he was present, and not lost in his book. Her eyes trailed down to the bouquet in his gloved hand, curious.

“Are those her favorite?” She tried to ask lightly, not wanting to pry too deeply.

Kakashi glanced down at her, then at the flowers, his expression giving nothing away. “Yes. But they don’t grow around here, so she didn’t come across them too often.”

“I can see why she likes them. They really are quite pretty.”

Kakashi nodded in agreement, but said nothing more.

 

 

They parted ways once they reached the village’s burial site. Neji’s headstone was in the other direction of the cenotaph. Sakura continued to watch the slouched back of her former team captain long after he’d disappeared through the trees. Before she let the cold really get to her, she turned and made her way to where the others already were.

Her favorite teammate was back from his mission, after all. She spotted his orange jacket and matching pants almost instantly. Kiba, who happened to be looking her way, pointed in her direction. Naruto's whiskered face followed, lighting up as soon as he saw her approaching. He immediately charged at her, caging her in a tight hug once he reached her. Sakura gasped, struggling to breathe.

“Naruto- you’re- hurting me!”

“Oops! Sorry, Sakura-chan,” he grinned sheepishly, loosening his grip but not letting go. Normally she’d whack him over the head for being so careless, but it had been awhile since he’d been in the village. Instead, she merely smiled against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his middle. It was good to see him again.

“Did you bring those for Neji?” He asked, looking at the flowers she held as soon as he let go.

“Yeah. Did you bring something?”

“Well, I brought him some instant ramen,” he grinned and rested his hands behind his head. “Sometimes he’d have Ichiraku with me. I figured it would mean more than a bunch of old plants.”

“That’s just like you, dork,” she shook her head and smiled.

“Hey, Sakura,” someone called over from behind him. They both turned and were met by most of the old group: Tenten, Choji, Shino, who was dripping wet and muddy for some reason, Lee, Kiba and Akamaru, Shikamaru, Hinata, and then the two of them, were all here.

“Hey, guys. Ino and Sai had to work, but they send their greetings,” she told them as she placed her bouquet on the polished stone. Neji's name, carved into its surface, was almost completely covered by the flowers everyone else had brought him. She knelt, running her fingers along its cold, wet surface. She smiled sadly.

“Happy birthday, Neji."

 

~

 

Kakashi stood there well until the rain had become nothing more than a light drizzle. It was getting dark, despite the already gray skies. How long he’d been there, he wasn’t really sure. He didn’t care.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you these the last time,” he said out loud, looking at the flowers he’d placed at the base of the cenotaph. “They didn’t have them at the shop until today.”

The soft patter of the rain suddenly picked up. It fell so hard so quickly that the sound of it blurred into one long, whirring thrum. His cloak only kept him so dry, but he ignored the sensation of his clothes getting soaked. He was already wet from the walk over.

“I hope you guys are happy there. Obito promised to look after you before he left. I’m holding him to that,” He smiled tiredly, his mind going back to his best friend.

Obito Uchiha, long thought to have been the resurrected Madara Uchiha while the Akatsuki still lived, had saved them during the Fourth Great Shinobi War. That first encounter with his supposedly deceased teammate had brought him so much grief. Old feelings of shame and self-loathing had surfaced, overcoming him during the fight, but he was grateful for it now. He’d gotten his old friend back, along with his forgiveness and understanding, and in the end, that was all he’d ever wanted.

“Obito, sorry for not bringing you flowers. I know you probably wouldn’t like them anyways, but I’ll get some for all of you the next time I visit.”

He let his head fall as he sighed. In that moment, he felt the heaviness of the losses in his life acutely. Obito, Rin, Sensei, Father, and so many others had died. But he understood that it was part of being a shinobi, and was even expected. In his generation, a generation that that grew up with war, death was death. It was a part of their everyday life.

What hurt him was knowing that he could have done more. That he hadn’t. And as a result, he’d lost those who were precious to him.

“You were all so young. You should be here. Obito, you would have been a much better Hokage.”

He remained silent after that, listening to the deafening fall of the rain lessen until the drops faded into a musical chime. Eventually, a familiar chakra signature approached him from the treeline. He didn’t have to look up to know who it belonged to.

“Hey you, it’s getting dark,” her head of pink hair appeared next to him. He nodded, keeping his eyes towards the ground.

“I know.”

They stood there like that, wordlessly before the cenotaph. She didn’t pressure him to go home, which he was grateful for. It had been too long since he’d been able to pay them a visit. It was one of the few places he found some peace of mind, which was hard to come by even these days.

Sakura knelt at the base and ran a polished finger over a name, tracing the characters with her nail. His eyes followed her.

“I didn’t have to know him for long to recognize that he was a great shinobi.” She stood slowly, her head hanging low. “And ally.”

Kakashi watched her, taking in her solemn demeanor. He hesitated, then placed a comforting hand on the top of her head. When she didn’t push him away, he ruffled her wet hair slightly before dropping his arm back to his side. “Yeah.”

“I think Obito would be proud that you agreed to become the Hokage,” she said, then grinned. “Even if you can’t stand the paperwork.”

“He’d probably tell me I had it coming for being so lazy,” Kakashi nearly grinned. Sakura looked up at him, smiling softly.

“That sounds right to me.”

“Can I walk you home?” He asked suddenly, the surprise on her face matching the unexpected way he felt.

“Yeah, um, sure. Thank you.”

 

 

She’d invited him inside once they had reached her front door. He’d politely declined at first, but she’d bribed him with dinner if he agreed to come in and, well, Kakashi Hatake wasn’t one to turn down a free meal. He left his sandals on her doormat and entered her apartment.

It reminded him of his own place in some ways. Neat, clean, plenty of books on multiple shelves. Sakura had a lot more décor than he himself bothered to deal with. But she somehow managed to keep up with it all, and it did look kind of nice.

“Make yourself at home. Want me to throw anything in the dryer?” She asked, removing her own cloak. Kakashi looked down at himself, and then at the puddle he’d already created in the short time he had stood there.

“Try everything,” he sighed, earning a small laugh from Sakura.

“I think I might actually have a spare set of your clothes lying around here somewhere from a past mission. Let me check.”

He cocked a curious eyebrow at her as she disappeared down the hall, then he heard a door close. Normally, if he had the chance, he’d be tempted to scope an unfamiliar place out a little, but he was making a mess even standing still as he was. All he could do for the moment was wait.

“You’re in luck!” A voice called from the other side of what he guessed was her bedroom door. “They’re a little dusty, but they should work.”

Sakura bounced back down the hall and offered the folded pile of clothing in her hands. Kakashi took them, holding up the old shirt and pants for closer inspection.

“Huh. I was wondering where these went.”

“You’d left them in my pack, when we had that mission in Yugakure I think,” she explained as she wandered into the kitchen. She began rummaging through the cabinets. “Back when Naruto and Sai had gotten themselves mixed up in that hostage crisis. Remember?”

Oh yes. He certainly did. That little mission that should have only taken two days, tops, to complete had turned into a week-long disaster. It wasn’t one of Kakashi’s proudest moments as team captain. He forced the memories out of his mind.

“The bathroom is that way if you want to change,” she said, pointing down the hall. She kept her gaze focused on what appeared to be a recipe book. Kakashi nodded in response, but didn’t make to move right away.

Sakura made an... oddly domestic picture. Her hair was clipped back, away from her face, and she had donned on an apron over her foreign attire. Kakashi had only really seen her on the field, or in the hospital in recent years, but still, he found that the at-home look somehow suited her just as well. He didn’t understand why it was such a strange revelation to him.

“Thanks,” he told her before making his way down the hall.

 

 

Kakashi tossed the last piece of his drenched clothing into the dryer before starting up the machine. Its low hum whirred to life, fading into the background as he wandered back towards the kitchen.

A sharp smell wafted in the air, one he’d loved for as long as he could remember. Curious, he made his way towards the stove. He smiled to himself when he spotted the sanma.

“Broiled saury?” He turned to the pink-haired kunoichi. She shrugged, giving him a small smile.

“It was either that or tempura, and I haven’t forgotten how strongly you feel about the latter.”

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I assure you, it had nothing to do with your cooking skills.”

“Mhm,” she rolled her eyes at him, playfully poking him with the wooden spoon in her hand. He swatted it away half-heartedly.

“I’ve never really cared for the stuff. Too greasy.”

“And I’ve never understood your preference to bitter foods. Of all things to put in miso soup, you prefer eggplant?” She shuddered.

He simply shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. She shook her head, grinning, and went over to the far counter. She took a lemon out from a small bag and, grabbing a knife, began to cut it into pieces. Kakashi leaned idly against the cabinets, watching her.

“So then, why saury for dinner?”

Sakura’s back was to him. Once she finished slicing the lemon and went to retrieve the dish from the oven, she glanced back over her shoulder.

“What do you mean ‘why’?”

Kakashi eyed her carefully. “You prefer sweeter foods.” It wasn’t a question. Her eyes widened a little.

“I don’t mind fish this way,” she tried to reply indifferently.

He said nothing. She sighed, sounding more tired than he’d heard her sound in a long time. “I always keep some of your guys’ favorites around, in hopes for chances like this.”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that. She turned away again, but it was too late. He’d already seen it. Her shoulders sank, and the fiery spirit she usually displayed seemed to deflate right before his eyes. It bothered him. A lot.

He glanced around her kitchen, really looking at it all this time. His eyes widened. Old cups of instant ramen filled half of an entire one of her cabinets, just above some bags of uncooked rice. A bundle of tomatoes sat near her fridge, next to a bag of dried seaweed and packaged tofu. The broiled saury was placed on the counter. None of these were things Sakura ever really ate, but he knew the ones who did. He was one of them.

“Sakura...”

“I understand that the old team doesn’t exactly have the luxury of time anymore,” she went on, slowly dishing the meal onto a platter. “Captain Yamato has been sent out on a mission for who knows how long. Sai spends most of his time in the flower shop. Naruto’s just married. You’re the Rokudaime. And...” She grew quiet.

And Sasuke was nowhere near the village, he finished for her in thought. Kakashi recognized the small tremor in her hands as she tried to squeeze the lemon over the fish. That man still haunted her, and probably always would. Not unlike his own demons.

In some ways, he understood her pain. But in others, he could only do his best to keep her smiling through it all. Though, with his new position as the village's Hokage, he didn’t have much time for even that anymore. Apparently, no one did, from what she’d told him. Something heavy twisted in chest a little at that.

Had she felt abandoned by them?

 

~

 

Sakura refused to let the stinging in her eyes manifest into something ugly. Using all of her willpower to hold back tears, she hadn’t even realized she had completely crushed the lemon slice in her hand. That is, until a strong, gloved one covered her own. She gasped, startled at the sudden contact, and dropped the juicy wedge.

“Here, let me,” he said softly, guiding her hand away from the food. She looked up at him, confused. He merely crinkled his eyes in a warm smile.

“Kakashi, I can-”

“It’s the least I can do,” he assured her, gently scooting her aside with his hip. She stumbled a little, turning back to the silver-haired man with a huff. She was half-tempted to level him with a glare, but when she saw him strip his gloves off and begin squeezing the lemons over the dish, the fight went out of her. He was just trying to be kind, she knew that.

“I’ll set up the table, then?” She offered, reaching for the tea and rice pots. He quickly swatted her hands away. This time, she did glare at him.

“What are you doing?” She asked flatly. Kakashi didn’t look at her, but instead, seemed to act like she hadn’t even spoken. Frowning, she tried to reach for the tea kettle a second time. He deflected her hands once more, this time with a swing of her wooden spoon.

“Kakashi, really?”

“You did all of the cooking,” he said, holding up the two plates towards her. “I’ll serve it. I might even stay and help you clean up after, if you don’t mind.”

She gaped at him, quickly closing her mouth to cut off her protest. Kakashi Hatake, offering to help clean? After a free dinner? What had gotten into the lazy shinobi?

“Um, sure. Thanks.”

 

 

Their dinner had gone as uneventfully as Sakura had expected. She’d asked him a couple of questions in regards to the upcoming mission, and then he’d filled her in on the progress the village was making in its recovery efforts. The two of them had slipped into comfortable silence while they ate, and Sakura did her best to respect his privacy, assuring him that he could enjoy his meal without scarfing it down dangerously fast like he normally did. She promised him she wouldn’t look. Kakashi had seemed slightly surprised by that, but had still finished his meal rather quickly. Although, Sakura smiled to herself, not nearly as fast as he ordinarily did.

It probably should have seemed strange to have the Hokage in her kitchen, washing her dishes and putting away her food. But Kakashi, regardless of what title he held, would always be the same, book-obsessed, silver-haired shinobi. A title was too small of a thing change him, she thought to herself as she watched him. The realization was a comfort to her. If there was one, steadfast constant she could count on in her life, it was him.

Kakashi paused on the dish he was scrubbing and suddenly glanced over his shoulder at her. She swallowed, embarrassed at being caught spacing out, and quickly returned to clearing off the table, not looking at him again. Leave it to the Hokage to always have eyes in the back of his head.

 

 

They’d been in the middle of an amusing discussion of what could convince her to give Kakashi’s favorite book series a chance and finally read them when a knock came at her door. She stood and looked to him, seeing if the visitor wasn’t a welcome one. He nodded his head, remaining comfortably seated on her couch, so she went and opened her door.

A painted, white mask and purple hair immediately gave the visitor away. Sakura tried to do her best to appear nonplussed, but inside, she was giggling like a school girl. It seemed the Hokage had finally been caught ditching his personal guard. And if Yugao herself had come, that could only mean that he was in big trouble.

“Uzuki-san,” Sakura greeted, doing her best to sound surprised. “What brings you here?”

“Haruno-san,” Yugao nodded curtly, pushing her way inside without invitation. Kakashi glanced up at her, giving her a small salute.

“Ah, you found me.”

“Lord Sixth.”

Sakura could hear the restraint behind the woman’s words through her gritted teeth. She could only stand there, feeling sorry for her old sensei. Being on the receiving end of an Anbu’s anger was not something she ever wanted to face. For Kakashi, he somehow wasn’t affected by the village’s most lethal shinobi; not even on their worst days.

“Looks like we’ll have to talk later, Sakura,” he grinned, easily ignoring the enraged aura radiating from his escort. Sakura nearly shrunk back when the woman’s glare fixed onto her. If looks could kill, she’d already be a cold corpse.

“Alright. Take care of him, Yugao-san,” she gave them a small wave. The anbu remained silent, turning and walking out the door. Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, turning back to her.

“Thanks for drying my clothes, and for dinner.”

“You’re welcome. Good night, Lord Hokage,” she winked. He sighed.

“Sakura-”

“I know, I know. We’re not in your office. Have a good night, _Kakashi_ ,” she smiled. “And thank you, too. It was nice having you here.”

Kakashi raised a brow at her. “Was it, now?”

“Sure! I mean, your awful taste in literature could use some serious help, and you used way too much lemon on the fish, but overall, it wasn’t a bad time,” she laughed.

“You’re not nice, Sakura-chan.”

“Oh c’mon, you know I’m only teasing,” she grinned, elbowing him lightly in the ribs.

Suddenly, he was looking down at her. Sakura’s laugh grew quiet, her eyes widening at the intensity in his dark gaze. She stilled.

“What is it?” She asked, her voice unsure. He said nothing, but continued to simply look at her; his expression unreadable. She swallowed, remaining motionless.

They stood like that for awhile, Sakura trying to decipher his thoughts and Kakashi making her increasingly uneasy. What the hell was he staring at? Did she have something on her face? Suddenly, he took a small step toward her, and Sakura felt herself grow unusually shy. His close proximity had never really bothered her before, but with the strange way he was looking at her, and his face being only inches above her, it was different. She felt her breath catch when he abruptly placed his hand on the top of her head.

“I’ll see you soon,” he said with a soft smile. Sakura could only nod her head, wary of the odd  lilt in his tone. That was, until she realized his smirk had turned suddenly mischievous. But it was too late, he’d already ruffled her hair before she could swing at him.

Her head was a fluffy mess of knots after he leapt away, chuckling. She narrowed her eyes at his retreating form before he fully disappeared through her door.

“Damn you, Kakashi, you know I hate that!” She cursed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a little filler chapter before the Holidays! Merry Christmas, everyone:) Sorry for the shorter chapter and the lack of plot. Plenty of that to come in later chapters. (Warning, new chapter may be revised or edited within the next few days.)


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